Turns out, having your morning cup of joe does have its perks! Studies show that coffee can be preventative for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Diabetes and obesity. The List chatted with nutritional biochemist Dr. Shawn Talbott who explained the benefits of consuming coffee. And to help you put these principals into practice, we’ve included a few creative recipes to try by Chef Mario Gebran.

1. Coffee Waffle

Here’s something that will blow your mind. You can actually put coffee into waffle mix for a breakfast that’s out-of-this-world delicious. Not only will your waffle taste better, but it will give you a boost of caffeine. Tip: make sure that the coffee grounds you use are extra small, so it gives a nice, smooth flavor to your waffle.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups 2% milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp finely-ground coffee

Directions:

Stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk milk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla and coffee grounds. Add milk texture to dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Mist waffle iron slightly with cooking spray. Pour approximately 1/2 cup batter onto the waffle iron, close and cook for approximately 2 1/2 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Coffee-Rubbed Steak

Our next caffeinated creation is coffee-rubbed steak. You’ll be amazed at how the richness of the coffee will match perfectly with the smokiness of a good old steak. It will take your grilling party to the next level!

Ingredients for New York Strip Dry Rub:

Equal parts sea salt, pepper and finely-ground coffee

After rubbing olive oil all over your steak, generously apply the dry rub to all parts of the steak including the sides. Heat grill to high and grill steak on both sides for 2-3 minutes. Then reduce heat to medium-low and finish cooking steak to desired doneness.

Heat oven to 350F degrees. In a large bowl, beat granulated and brown sugars, butter and eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed. You can also use a spoon to mix until creamy. Stir in flour, coffee grounds, baking soda and salt.